Robert Preston June 8 1918 March 21 1987 was an American stage and film actor and singer best known for his collaboration with composer Meredith Willson and originating the role of Professor Harold Hill in the 1957 musical The Music Man and the 1962 film adaptation the film earned him his first of two Golden Globe Award nominations Preston collaborated twice with filmmaker Blake Edwards first in SOB 1981 and again in VictorVictoria 1982 For portraying Carroll Toddy Todd in the latter he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor at the 55th Academy Awards Preston was born Robert Preston Meservey in Newton Massachusetts the son of a garment worker and a record store clerk He attended Abraham Lincoln High School training as a musician and playing several instruments but quit at age sixteen to study acting at the Pasadena Community Playhouse Preston made his Broadway debut in 1940 in the play The Philadelphia Story He went on to star in a number of successful Broadway musicals including The Pajama Game 1954 Damn Yankees 1955 and I Do I Do 1966 He also appeared in a number of films including The Music Man 1962 The Dark at the Top of the Stairs 1960 and VictorVictoria 1982 Preston was a versatile actor who could play a wide range of roles He was known for his charisma his singing voice and his comic timing He was a twotime Tony Award winner and was nominated for an Academy Award He was also a member of the American Theatre Hall of Fame Preston died of cancer in 1987 at the age of 68 He was survived by his wife Catherine Craig the couple had no children A biography of the actor Robert Preston Forever The Music Man was published in 2022
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